Communication Technology

When the Internet began to emerge as a popular new mode of
communication, many political scientists and social commentators
believed that it would revolutionize our democratic institutions.
Today, voter turnout is at an historic low and Internet usage is at an
all-time high. Can we still make the claim that new information and
communication technologies (ICTs) enhance democratic life in Canada?
What effect does the technological mediation of political communication
have on the practice of Canadian politics? How have such technologies
affected the distribution of power in society?

Darin Barney investigates the links between ICTs and democratic
processes, arguing that the potential of digital technologies to
contribute to a more democratic political system will remain largely
untapped unless the more conventional dimensions of Canadian politics,
the economy, and modes of governance are reoriented.

Awards

2002, Short-listed - Harold Adams Innis Prize, Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences